Galloway Puma
Encyclopedia
The Galloway Puma is a "phantom cat
", a supposedly real big cat
, which has been sighted numerous times throughout Dumfries and Galloway
, in south-west Scotland.
. The tourists apparently saw the animal while returning from a nature walk in the Galloway Forest
. It was also allegedly sighted by locals in Newton Stewart in 1999.
After this, many people, specifically farmers and Forestry Commission
workers, claimed to have seen a big black cat throughout the region, but mainly in the Machars
area. In June 2001, a young lady walking her dog near Newton Stewart golf course, which lies on the edge of Galloway Forest, was left startled and shaken when what she described as a "large black cat, bigger than an alsatian
", sprung out at her on the path on which she was walking. She further claims that the animal ran away after her dog began barking and growling at it.
British big cats
British big cats, also referred to as ABCs , phantom cats and mystery cats, are Felidae which are not native to Britain which are reported to inhabit the British countryside. These sightings are often reported as "panthers", "pumas", or "black cats"...
", a supposedly real big cat
Big cat
The term big cat – which is not a biological classification – is used informally to distinguish the larger felid species from smaller ones. One definition of "big cat" includes the four members of the genus Panthera: the tiger, lion, jaguar, and leopard. Members of this genus are the only cats able...
, which has been sighted numerous times throughout Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway
Dumfries and Galloway is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. It was one of the nine administrative 'regions' of mainland Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government etc. Act 1973...
, in south-west Scotland.
Sightings
The rumours of a big cat in Galloway began in the late 1990s, when Canadian tourists claimed to have seen an animal which resembled a cougar near Kirroughtree, south-east of Newton StewartNewton Stewart
Newton Stewart is a burgh town in the south of Scotland in the west of the region of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire....
. The tourists apparently saw the animal while returning from a nature walk in the Galloway Forest
Galloway Forest Park
Galloway Forest Park is a woodland park in Scotland, principally covering woodland in Dumfries and Galloway. It is operated by Forestry Commission Scotland....
. It was also allegedly sighted by locals in Newton Stewart in 1999.
After this, many people, specifically farmers and Forestry Commission
Forestry Commission
The Forestry Commission is a non-ministerial government department responsible for forestry in Great Britain. Its mission is to protect and expand Britain's forests and woodlands and increase their value to society and the environment....
workers, claimed to have seen a big black cat throughout the region, but mainly in the Machars
Machars
The Machars is a peninsula in Galloway in the south-west of Scotland. The word is derived from the Gaelic word Machair meaning low lying or level land, known as "links" on the east coast of Scotland...
area. In June 2001, a young lady walking her dog near Newton Stewart golf course, which lies on the edge of Galloway Forest, was left startled and shaken when what she described as a "large black cat, bigger than an alsatian
German Shepherd Dog
The German Shepherd Dog , also known as an Alsatian or just the German Shepherd, is a breed of large-sized dog that originated in Germany. The German Shepherd is a relatively new breed of dog, with its origin dating to 1899. As part of the Herding Group, the German Shepherd is a working dog...
", sprung out at her on the path on which she was walking. She further claims that the animal ran away after her dog began barking and growling at it.